Nightmare
by Cassy J
Summary: R and Julie are together now, but she still has scars from her past experiences.


"R, help me!" I scream. I turn and try to run, but I'm already backed up against the fence. I struggle for breath, having dropped my inhaler when I started being pursued.

"R!" I glance at the crowd of approaching Dead, searching for him, my eyes wild. Why isn't he coming to help me? Then I spot him, and I am filled with relief, though only momentarily. Something's not right. I call to R again, searching his eyes for any sign of recognition, but he stares blankly ahead, focused on nothing, dragging his rotting body forward with the rest of the crowd. I begin to panic, my brain starved of oxygen and a horde of hungry Dead at my heels.

"R, please," I wail, "help me…" But he still doesn't react. I sink to my knees, unable to support myself any longer. As my vision blurs, fading to black at the edges, I look up at R one last time before one of the Dead sinks its grotesque teeth into my throat, and I plunge into an infinite yet squeezing blackness. With my final breath, I scream.

XXX

"Julie!" I feel someone shaking me awake. My throat is sore as though I've been crying, and I can feel tear streaks on my cheeks.

"Julie!" the voice calls again, and this time I recognize who it is. I open my eyes to the sight of R, soft and warm and human, brushing hair away from my puffy eyes and most definitely _not_ trying to eat me. I feel tears spring into my eyes, though this time they're tears of relief, and I hug R hard. Surprised, he hesitates for a moment before hugging me back.

"Julie, are you all right? You were screaming," R says. I don't speak for a moment, savoring his voice, his touch, his breath on my cheek. I bury my face in his shirt.

"You saved me," I mumble. He says nothing for a few minutes, just running his fingers though my hair as I try to steady my shaking shoulders. When he finally does speak, his tone is soft and comforting, like a warm velvet blanket, keeping me safe and warm in the dead of winter.

"What happened?"

I take a shuddering breath, one last feeble attempt to calm myself down. "I had a dream."

"So did MLK," R says, cracking a small smile, "but I have a feeling yours was a bit different." Through his words were lighthearted, I could hear hints of concern creeping into his voice, his expression, and most of all his eyes – clear, piercing, lovely as ever, but with distinct notes of worry.

"It was like they used to be," I say, "but different." Ever since Mom left, I had been having terrifying, gruesome nightmares. Legions of Dead chasing me, their decomposing bodies creeping towards me, slow but deliberate. But they had stopped when I met R, as though he was the cure to whatever horrible affliction I had.

R purses his lips, the worry in his eyes growing. "What do you mean? I thought you didn't have those dreams anymore."

"I thought so too," I say, shaking my head, "but I guess I was wrong."

"What was different about this dream?"

I bite my lip, debating about whether to tell him or not. He seems to sense my hesitation.

"Julie, whatever it is, you can tell me."

"You were with… _them_," I say, unwilling to say the name, for fear that it would bring back a long forgotten side of R, a side driven not by emotion or intellect but by hunger and bloodlust. "I was all alone. And they got me. _You _got me," I sob, choking back tears that fall despite my best efforts.

"Oh, Julie," R says, wiping away my tears. "You know I would never do that to you, don't you?" His tone catches me by surprise, suddenly filled with hurt.

"I know," I whisper quietly, as though I'm telling him my deepest, darkest secrets. He says nothing, but when I look up his expression is relieved, and grateful.

"I don't think I'm going to have that dream anymore," I say, dry-eyed now.

"No, I don't think you will," R replies, and without looking I can tell that the worry in his face has vanished. After a few moments of silence, I see a small smile creep across his face.

"What is it?" I ask, making an exaggerated pouting face.

"I was just thinking, now that all that's over, what do you say we have a little fun?" R says, waggling his eyebrows at me playfully.

"I'd be honored," I giggle, clambering on top of him.

He pulls me closer to him. "I love you, Julie," he whispers in my ear.

"I love you, R," I whisper back, as I rip his shirt off.

XXX

THE END

I hope you liked the story, please review! Thanks :)


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